Mechanism for coiling wire.



V E. JAMES. l

MECIANISM FOR COILING WlRE. v

APPLl'cATloN FILED ocT. e, 191m 1 Patented 11133718, 1915.

. gaia? ./g

4 I5; JAMES. y lMEGHAIIIISM FoII coILING WIRE.

' l l APPLICATION FILED ocT. 6. |910. 1,139,872. Patented May-18,1915. i

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

EDWARD JAMES, or cLnVnLAtD, oHIo.

MECHANSM FOR COILING WIRE.

Specification of Letters IPatent.

rammed. iras/is, i915.

Application filed October 6, 1910. Serial No. 585,601.

TQ all whom t may concern:

Be it 'known that I, EDWARD JAMES, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefullmprovement in Mechanism forv Ceiling lVire, of which the following lis a specification, the principle of the invention being herein eX- plained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention, relating as indi` lcated to wire ceiling machines, has regard more particularly to the construction 'of machines for manufacturing flexible metal tub- -ing of the kind that consists of two coiled wires, one within the other.

The object of the invention is the provision of a machine whereby' t-ubing 'of the kindr just referred to may be made continuously and of any desired length.'

, To the accomplishment of these and related ends said invention-consists of the means hereinafter fully described and parof machine embodying the invention; Fig.

Z is a transverse sectional view thereof taken on the line 2-2, Fig. l; Fig. 3 is similarly a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3, Fig. l; Fig. 4C is an enlarged sectional view of the mandrel and two of the rolls that coperate therewith, the plane of v 'the section 'being indicated by the line 4 4 Fig. l; Fig. 5 is a broken detail view, on a like enlarged scale, of two of said rolls; Figs. 6 and 7 are views, corresponding with Fig. l, and respectively showing two modi' fications in the construction of the rolls g and Fig. 8 illustrates yet another'modification in this particular.

The present invention provides a machine which constitutes an improvement on the machine disclosed in my cdpeuding applica tion for United States Patent, Serial No. 558,316, sied Api-ii ee, i910.

By the improved method involved in the operation of the present machine, l propose to` simultaneously coil both wires, the one within the other, whereby as will be. obvious, a completed tube of the cliaracterin hand is at once formed. Furthermore, in-

stead of winding such wires in place on a mandrel extending the length of the coil, thereby limiting the length of the coil and thus of the tube, l wind the wires on a mandrel or equivalent forming member, that does not necessarily have a longitudinal movement, so that no such limitation is imposed on the length of the .tube that is formed.

The coiling mechanism proper of my improved machine comprises in the form illustrated, a short mandrel l, (Figs. l and el) thatis preferably rotatably mounted in a suitable supporting head It is not intended to positively drive such mandrel, however, but simplv to leave it free to rotate under the action of the coil being formed thereon. Said mandrel, in the form shown in the figures just referred to, comprises two co-aXial, substantially cylindrical sections of unlike diameters, the section nearest to the head 2, or in other words, adjacent to the supported end of the mandrel, being of larger diameter than the free end. Said mandrel is furthermore desirably made hollow, so as to be adapted to permit 'of the introduction therein of a suitable lubricant, which is preferably maintained. under pressure sufiicient to cause it to be gradually dischargedl through openings 17, 17 in the mandrels cylindrical walls. Such lubricant may be thus supplied through a chamber 18 in the head 2, that provides a convenient reservoir.

For many uses it has been found desirable to interiorly lubricate the type of ilexible metal tubing, consisting of inter-coiled wires such as the present machine is adapted to manufacture, not only that the bore of such tube may be thus coated, but also the bearing, or contacting, portions ofthe successive convolutions of the inter-coiled wires. Bv the foregoing construction, enabling as it'does the introduction of the lubricant and.

naled in spaced, fixed bearings 6, 6, while the uppermost is supported in a frame 8 oscillatory about an axis 9 parallel with the shaft, but capable 'of supporting said shaft at an adjustable distance above the mandrel 1', this distance being gaged by a hand wheel 10 threaded upon a vertically disposed'screw 1, and 'bearinguponf the free end of said frame through an interposed compression spring 12. l

In addition'to bearings 6, 6 for the shafts i 3 and 4, I provide thrust bearings 7 (Fig. 3),

to `take up any end thrust to which such shafts may be subjected incidentally to the operation of the wire-coilingirolls respectively carried thereby. The. function of these rolls is to guide'the respective wires W and w, that enter into the making of the tubing, about the mandrel 1 as wellas to 1 maintain'them in contact therewith. Of such rolls the two lowermost are of substantially similar construction, (viz. that shown in Fig. 3) being composed of two.

sections, 13 and 14, the first being keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to its shaft, and the other being freelyrotatable about such shaft, preferably upon a hub-like extension 15 of the first section. -Both these sections are peripherally grooved, so as to provide on their outer, cylindrical faces a series of encircling corrugations 16, one form -of which is shown in Figs-4 and 5. particular encircling corrugations are designed to engage with the turns of the wire W' being coiled on the mandrel section of larger diameter. Accordingly on the por-v tions of the respective rolls that co-perate, fwith the mandrel section of larger diameter such corrugations are more closely spaced axially of said rolls, than on the other porf tions of such rolls'which extend beyond the offset or step between the mandrel sections of larger and smaller. diameter'. In other words, the corrugations on the first roll sections 13, correspond with. the closely crowded turns or convolutions of the first coil W as it is wound on the first mandrel section, whereas the convolutions on the second roll section correspond with the spaced condi' tion of such convolutions after the' second.

coil has been introduced within the first. The second, or outer, roll-section 14, then',

is provided with elements or'ribs 19 lying.

These example in F 1g. 8.

Between the two lowermost ceiling rolls thus described as substantially identical, there exists this difference, viz. that the foremost roll,v regardingl the same in the direction in which the wire is fed, is cut away on. its inner side, or otherwise spaced from the abutting portion of the machine frame, as by the introduction of a` Washer or disk of suitable thickness, so as to leave a space 20, A(see Figs. 5 and 8) through whichy the wire WV that forms the outer coil, may pass directly on alinefrom'its corresponding feed rolls to the mandrel; that is to say, on a line tangent to such mandrel, as clearly shown in Fig. l. other words, that if such wire were fed in over the coiling roll to the mandrel, an extra bend, or kink, would be introduced in the wire, and that, too, in adirection opposite.`

to the one which it is toy receive upon being coiled on the mandrel.

be .brought in betweeni'the rolls.- By the arrangement just described however, I avoid this entirely and thus save the wire 'the addi n .tional strain/that would be imposed uponit by being twice bent upon radiiso short and close together. Similarly a space 21 isleft between the two sections 13 and 14 of this foremostv roll, through which thev second It Awill be observed, in

be left straight if desired, as shown for sov This'resuit win iolf low-no matter from what direction'the Wire wire Iw may pass directly Aon a line tangent v.

to the mandrel, thus avoiding kinking itr likewise.

The vupper roll ofithe'three ceiling rolls is illustrated as being simply an idler; but

described ro'lls, it is formed of two sections and 23 (see Fig. 4). Since this roll 4is utilized in the present machinemerely to press down upon the coils of Wire'bein'g vjust as in the case of the two previously f A formed about the mandrel bythe two posi- K tively driven ceiling rolls, 'I have found vit` advisable to dispense with corrugations on at least the first section .22 of such roll, inasmuch as a'roll with a. smooth surface will be just as effective-to hold the convolutions of the initially formed portion of the outer coil against the mandrel as would a corru v gated roll. The second section 23 may. likewise be left plain if desired, although, here,

in order to assist in spreading apart the con volutions ofthe outer coil, thus initiallv formedclosely together. I prefer to employ the corrugations 16 with the projecting in'- termedi ate ribs 19 adapted to coperate with the inner coil that is now introduced The outwardly directed edges 24' of' all three rolls, moreover, that is the edges di'- rected away from the head 2', and in the direction 0f discharge of the finished tubing, are beveled as indicated in Fig. 4,4 since,

I have found that thereby the quick recoiil` of the wires, and particularly of the outer wire W, which otherwise follows the release of the tube for the ceiling rolls, may be restrained and `the tubing allowed to assume its normal condition as to internal tension, easily and radually. A

It will e understood, of course, that either the rolls or the encircling corrugations thereon are set relatively to each other.

so that the first corrugation that receives the wire will be a little in advance axially (or in the rear as one may be pleased to regard it,) of the second corrugation, and so on, ir. order that a proper spiral may be formed, (see Fig. 5). Where three symmetricallf,` disposed rolls are utilized, as in the present construction, there will be a displacement in the corrugation of successive rolls equal to one-third of the pitch of such spiral,.as will be readily apparent. I prefer to secure the offsetting in question by corresponding/ly` offsetting the entire roll, since this is readily accomplished by simply interposing a- Washer 25 of the roper thickness between the rear edge of t e roll and the head or frame in which. its shaft is journaled.

Of the three shafts hereinbefore described as bearing the wire-coiling rolls, the two lowermost along with certain feed-rolls 28 and 29 presently to be described, are drivenA in unison from a common drive-shaft 2G (Figs. l, 2 and 3) preferably bymeans of worm gearing 27, although this obviously is a matter of indifference. lrIhe intermediate roll, viz. the one carried in the adjustable frame 8 above the mandrel, is preferably not positively driven, as this has been found unnecessary under ordinary operating conditions. It will vbe readily understood how it can be connected to be positively driven,- if desired, from the saine shaft as the 'other two rolls, or from a counter-shaft connected therewith.

There are twopairs of the feed rolls 28 and 29 just referred to, as shown 'in Fig. 2, such pairs of rolls being laterally spaced from each other so as tov feed the wires W and w passing therebetween, respectively, at the proper points longitudinally of the mandrel l; in other words, the second wire is spaced from the first a distance substantially equal to the length of the mandrel section of larger diameter that projects beyond the mandrel supporting head 2, it .being upon this section that the outer wire constituting the tube is initially wound before its convolutions are separated by the introduction of the second coil. 0f these two pairs of feedrolls the lower-most rolls of each are mounted upon shafts 30 and 31, jurnaled in the frame of the machine and driven, as above indicated, from the main drive-shaft 26 that also drives the two lowermost of the wirecoiling rolls. The upper. feed rolls are also positively driven, their shafts 32 and 3S being intergeared with the corresponding lower shafts. Such upper shafts, however, are journaled in a common movable frame 34, preferably one oscillatory about an axis 35 transverse to the. shafts and adapted to be pressed down under a variable pressure by means of a hand-wheel 36 mounted upon a threaded shaft 37 and' operating through an interposed spring 38 similar to that employed in connection with the uppermost coiling roll. t

Intermediately between the respective pairs of feed rolls, that thus feed in the two wires used in forming the tube, and the coil- 'ing rolls,vwhich wind 'such wires into tubular form, I provide tubes 39 of suitable length, through which the wires may pass. These tubes are designed to contain a suitable lubricant, preferably, one containing graphite as'a constituent, which lubricant may be supplied as required .through a feed opening 4() so that the wires as they are fed forwardly onto the mandrel, or rather into the coiling rolls, areA thoroughly coated with the lubricant in question. i

-It will be understood, of course, that changes may be made both in the detailed construction of the rolls and the manner of feeding the wire thereto to suit the necessity or convenience of particular operations. For example, .it is conceived that one large field .of use'for flexible metallic tubing of the kind in hand, will be to incase linsulated conductors or to form, in other. Words,

what is known as electrical conduits, underwritersand others demanding nowadays, that such conductors be thoroughly protected against injury to their insulation as this is a frequent cause of fire in modern buildings. While the tubing may be formed independently of the insulated conductor and the latter then. slipped therethrough, I have found ift entirely practical to wind such tubing directly upon the cable, thereby much facilitating land cheapening the cost of manufacture of the product.

The proposition is lobviously substantially the same where,- instead of thev insulated electrical cable, 'it is desired to armor rubber hose, or any similar object. My improved flexible .metal tubingY may be directly formed on such hose in exactly the same fashion as that in which I have justv described it as being wound'upon the insu-- The term c onductor, ac-

latedl conductor. cordingly will hereinafter be employed to connota either of these two products, or any similar product to which my tubing may be thus applied. I have furthermore found that where the coils are being wound on an I iso insulation ofthe conductor, since I am thus enabled to use a lighter gage of wire, While still providing an equally eHective covering or armor for the conductor. In other Words, the embedded coilwill receive and take up a greater longitudinal strain for a given gage of Wire than if it were the inner.

coil of a simple tube or of suchv a tube only loosely incasing the conductor.'

Al modification in the machine, adapting it for suchv operation is illustrated in Fig. 6,

where it will be observed that the modified mandrel 4l `-comprises a single section of uniform diameter 'corresponding with the section of larger diameter in the case of @the mandrel previously described. Such mandrel is furthermore open at both ends and the insulated conductor C, which. is to be incased, is passed directly therethrough, the -diameter .of they mandrel bore being properly gaged to fit closely about the conductor. The latter' thus replaces, in effect, the mandrel section of smaller diameter and the operation of inter-coiling the two wires that ygo to make up my improved tubing, may proceed just as before, the outer wn'ebeingcoiled upon the mandrel section of larger diameter that is retained, while the smaller Wireis coiled upon the conductor. '1`l1e-latter1t wllll be understood, 1s

allowed to'rnove longitudinally through the mandref4 as theinner vwire is thus coiled thereon, thusv differing from thc mandrel sectionnofsmaller diameter in the preceding construction.

It' is desirable vas before, that the tube should-be interiorly lubricated and to this end the reservoir 18 in the head 2 is constructed so as to permit the conductor to be drawndirectly therethrough, it being found that sufficient lubricant vwill adhere thereto 4 .to elfet'the desired purpose.

figurejjustreferrel to in that the inner,

AA further modification isshown in the or smaller, wire fw as 4it has .been previously'termed, 1s o f half-round section, mf

stead .of being ai circular wire of. smaller ivith'any particular cross-section of Wirediameter than outer Wire WV. It will be understood, of course, "that my .improved machine is-not limited to use st1 ar 1d;' ut such strand maybe either circular, or half-round, or angular, as may be found suitable vto the production of tubing of the generalclassin hand. Thus in Fig.

' 7, I Iillustrate the use, for one of the Wires,

of .afstrand 1c. of triangular cross-section;

4such"strand, moreoven is here shown as vbeing the outer one despite the fact'that it is'introducd at a point inthe'operation corresponding with the introduction of what has in the preceding cases figured as lthe interior coi-l. Accordingly the second 4section of the. respective rolls is here left plain, that is, without corrugations and this l may be le ft smooth, that is so as to present a cylindrical surface instead of being concave so as to present corrugations. superficial form of these ribsis illustrated in- F ig. 8. On the other hand, Were a strand 112 of triangular section to be introduced as the inner coil in the Way strand to is insecond Wire 102 simplyv pressed into place,l

It has been previously explained that the The smooth y troduced in Fig. 6, these ribs might'be made with an angular depression to fit the contour f of the Wire.

In each of the several forms of my -iml y proved machine illustrated in the drawings hereinbefore described there Willbe, ovvingz to the use of the feed rolls, but little tension,

if any, on the Wires between such feed ll'o'lls and the ceiling rolls. 'It will be understood,

' however, .that in place of thus pushing the wires, as it were, upon the mandrel and simply employing the ceiling rolls to bend the.

same onto such member, I might rely on the 9 Eric-tional engagement ofthe rolls with the turns of wire about the mandrel to pull the latter, thus making the coiling mechanism, proper,self-feeding. Under certain opera.- tive conditions, moreovennthe positive driV Aing of the Icoiling rolls might be omittedentirely and full reliance placed on the feed rolls to force the wire or- Wires onto andabout the mandrel.

Where; the feeding of the componenty wires, the interposed convolutions of whosev coils go to makeup my improved tube, is accomplished by pushing such Wires `into the i coillng members, whether rolls or dies-,the

use of the mandrel may be dispensed with.

This is in eii'ect exemplified in the construction shown in Fig. 6, where the'second vwire may be either'pushedfin, todirectly'surround the insulated 'table so asto' only lightly engage therewith, or where it' may 'be drawn in about thesame bythe pulling action of, the rolls; `in the first case the presence of the cable willA be only-incidental, While in the' second it will obviously function as a mandrel. 1

' Other modesof applying the principle of my inventionlmay be employed instead ofthe one explained, change being made as regards the -mechanis'inr-herein disclosed, provided the means stated rby any of the following` claims or the equivalent of Such Stated means be employed. l I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention .1. In avmachine ofthe class described, a i

tions, each formed with encircling corrugations and adapted to cooperate with the turns of'a wire being'coiled, the corrugations on one section being diiierently spacedv axially of the roll than those on the other section, but the corrugations on the respective sections being substantially uniformly spaced. I

In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of rolls mounted with their peripheral faces adj acent to each other and adapted to coil a wire therebetween, said rolls respectively comprising two axially alined, independently rotatable sections, each formed with encircling corrugations and adaptedto coperate with the turns of a wire being coiled, the corrugationsY on one section being more closely spaced axially of the roll than those on the other section, sections spaced.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of three substantially cylindrical rolls having parallel axes and mounted with their cylindrical faces, adjacent to each other and adapted to coil a wire therebetween, the axes of two of said rolls being fixed and the third being movable toward and away Jfrom such two, two of said rolls respectively comprising two axially alined, independently rotatable sections, each formed with encircling corrugations and adapted to coperate with the turns of a wire being coiled; the corrugations on one section being more closely spaced axially of the roll than those on the other section, but the corrugations on the respective sections being substantially uniformly spaced.

4f. In a machine of the class described, a wire-ceiling roll comprising two sections, each formed with encircling corrugations adapted to cooperate with the turns of the wire being coiled, the eorrugations on one section being more closely spaced axially of the roll than those on the other section, the section hearing lthe more closely spaced .corrugations being positively driven and the other rotatable independently thereof.

5. In a machine of the class described, a wire-ceiling roll comprising twoindependently rotatable sections, each formed with corrugations adapted to cooperate with the turns, of a wire being coiled, the corrugations on o'ne section being more closely spaced axially of the roll than those on the other section; and other corrugations, between the nere widelyvspaced corrugations on said last-famed section, adapted to coperate with tn; turns of a second wire. 6. In a nachine of the class described, a wire-coiling loll comprising two independent-ly rotatable sections, each formed with but the corrugations on the respective being substantially' uniformly 'corrugations on corrugations adapted to cooperate with the turns of a wire being coiled, the corrugations on one section beingl more closely spaced axially of said roll than those on the other section; and other corrugations, between the more widely spaced corrugations on said last-named section, such other corrugations projecting beyond the first named, so as to be adapted to coperate with the turns of a second wire coiled within said first wire.

7. In a machine of the class' described, the combination of a wire-ceiling roll comprising two sections each formed with en'- circling corrugationsD adapted to cooperate with the turns of a wire being coiled, the c'orrugations on one section being more closely spaced axially of said roll than those on the other section; 'other lcorrugations, between'the more widely spaced corrugations on 'said .last-named section, adapted to cooperate with the turns of a second wire; and means for positively rotating said firstnamed section, said last-named section being rotatable independently thereof.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a wire-coiling roll comprising two sections each 'formed with encircling corrugations adapted to coperate with theturns of a wire being coiled, the

closely spaced axially of said roll than those on the other section; other corrugations between the more .widely spaced corrugations on said last-namedsection, such other corrugations projecting 4.eyond the first named, so as to bc adapted to cooperate with the turns oi a second wire coiled withinsaid first wire; and means for positively rotating said first-named section, said lastnamed section being rotatable independently thereof.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a mandrel, one section of the mandrel being of larger diameter than another; and a substantially cylindrical wire-coiling roll having its cylindrical face disposed alongside said mandrel, said roll comprising a plurality of axially alined, independently rotatable sections, .respectively adapted to cooperate with turns of wire being coiled on the adjacent mandrel sections. j

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination oi a mandrel, one section of the mandrel being of larger diameter than another; and a substantiallyd cylindrical wire-coilingroll having its cylindrical face disposed alongside said mandrel, said roll comprising two axially alined, independently rotatable sections, each formed with encircling corrugatiens and respectively adapted to cooperate with turns of wire being coiled on the mandrel sections oi: larger and smaller' diameter.

11. In a machine of the class described,

one section being moref the remainder; and a substantially cylinl drical Wire-ceiling'roll having its cylindrical vface disposed alongside theA mandrel, said roll comprising tWo axially alined, 1ndependently rotatable sections respectively cooperative with the mandrel sections of larger and smaller diameter, the roll sections being each formed .with encircling corrugations adapted to coperate with the turns of a Wire coiled on the mandrel section of larger diameter, the corrugations' on the roll section adjacent to the mandrel section of larger diameter being more closely spaced l axially of the roll than those on the roll sectionadjacent to the mandrel section of smaller diameter.

'12. In a machine of the class-described, the combination of a mandrel supported at one end and having its other end free, the section of said mandrel ,adjacent to its supported end being of larger diameter than the remainder; and a Wire-ceiling rol'l'having its cylindrical face disposed alongside said mandrel, said roll comprising two independently rotatable sections, each formed With encircling corrugations adapted to engage With the turns of a Wire coiled on the.

mandrel of larger diameter, such corrugaltions on the section of said roll adjacent to such mandrel-section being more closely` spaced than on the roll-section adjacent to the mandrel-section of smaller diameter, and other corrugations between the more widely spaced corrugations on said lastnamed roll-section adapted to engage with the turns of a Wire being coiled on said mandrel-section of smaller diameter.

13. In a machine of the'class described, the combination of a freely rotatable mandrel, one section of said mandrel being-of larger diameter than another, and aV Wirecoiling rolllhaving its cylindrical face distwo independently rotatable sections, each formed With encircling corrugations adapted to conerate with the turns of a Wire be# ing coiled on the mandrel-section of larger and smaller diameter, respectively; and means for positively driving the roll-section coperative with the` mandrel-section of larger diameter.

15.A In a machine of the class described, the combination of a vmandrel supported at one end so Aas to be freely rotatable and having its other end free, the section of said mandrel adjacentto its supported end being of larger diameter than the remainder; a Wirecoiling roll having its cylindrical tace disposed alongside said mandrel, said roll comprising tWo independently rotatable sections, each formed With encircling corrugations adapted to engage with the turns o f a Wire coiled on the mandrel of larger diameter, such corrugations on the section of saidroll adjacent to such mandrel-section being more closely spaced than on the rollsection adjacent tothe mandrel-section of smaller' diameter; and means lorvpositively driving said irst-named roll-section. wigned by vme this 3rd day of-October,

. EDWARD JAMES.

y Attested by-.

ANNA L. GILL, JN0. F. OBERLIN. 

